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The Guest List
Book Club Night - Cozy night

The Guest List

Lucy Foley

A wedding on a windswept Irish island turns stormy in every sense, told through shifting voices that keep you guessing. It's a propulsive, atmospheric mystery perfect for a snug night in.

Reading level: Easy Best for: groups who love a juicy, escapist mystery and a good gossip

Discussion

Warm-up

  1. 1.Where were you (and what were you snacking on) when you first got hooked into this book?
  2. 2.If you were invited to a wedding on a remote Irish island, would your gut say 'yes please' or 'absolutely not'? Why?

Digging in

  1. 1.Which character did you most want to wrap in a blanket and feed soup to, and what about their story moved you?
  2. 2.Weddings have a way of stirring up old feelings. Did any moment in the book remind you of a real wedding (yours or someone else's) you've attended?
  3. 3.The island itself almost feels like a character. How did the setting make you feel as a reader, and did it remind you of any place from your own life?
  4. 4.Foley jumps between narrators. Whose voice felt the coziest to settle into, and whose made you want to keep reading with the lights on?

Going deep

  1. 1.So many of these characters are keeping something tucked away. Without spoiling anything, which secret did you find yourself most sympathetic toward?
  2. 2.Looking back on the whole book, what feeling did it leave you with, and is that the feeling you wanted from a story like this?

On the table

Mini beef and Guinness hand pies
A nod to the Irish setting, warm and easy to nibble on the couch
Cheddar and chive soda bread with salted butter
Homey, rustic, and very 'windy island kitchen'
Sticky toffee pudding cups
A classic British Isles comfort dessert, indulgent in a cozy single-serve size

To sip

Irish coffee
Whiskey, coffee, brown sugar, soft cream on top, the ultimate cozy nightcap
Mulled cider with apple and clove
Warm, fragrant, and feels like coming in from the wind
Honey vanilla steamer (warm milk with honey and vanilla) (no alcohol)
A soothing non-alcoholic option that pairs with the dessert

Run of show

7:00
Soft arrivals
Greet guests with a warm drink in hand and the playlist already going. Blankets out, lamps on.
7:15
Settle and snack
Hand pies and soda bread on the coffee table. Let people graze while you do warmups.
7:30
Warmup questions
Keep it light and personal. No pressure to have 'right' answers.
7:50
Into the book
Move through the theme questions. Pour refills between answers.
8:20
Dessert and deeper chat
Bring out sticky toffee puddings and tackle the deep questions while the room is at its coziest.
8:50
Trivia and scorecards
Wind down with the trivia round and let people fill in scorecards before goodnights.

Host tips

  • Dim overheads and use lamps or candles to make the room feel like a snug cottage.
  • Keep a basket of throw blankets near the seating, and put the food within easy reach so no one has to get up.
  • If conversation lulls, share your own answer first to model that personal stories are welcome.

Playlist

Hushed folk, soft Irish strings, and gently moody acoustic, like a fireplace with the wind outside

  1. 01The Parting Glass - The High Kings
  2. 02Galway Girl - Mundy and Sharon Shannon
  3. 03Bright Eyes - Hozier
  4. 04Take Me to Church (acoustic) - Hozier
  5. 05Skinny Love - Birdy
  6. 06Carrickfergus - Loreena McKennitt
  7. 07Heartbeats - Jose Gonzalez
  8. 08The Wedding - Cinematic Orchestra

Trivia

  1. 1. Who is the author of The Guest List? (Lucy Foley)
  2. 2. In what year was The Guest List first published? (2020)
  3. 3. On what type of location does the wedding take place? (A remote island off the coast of Ireland)
  4. 4. What major book club picked The Guest List as a selection in 2020? (Reese's Book Club)
  5. 5. What earlier locked-setting mystery by Lucy Foley is The Guest List often compared to? (The Hunting Party)
  6. 6. What narrative structure does Foley use to tell the story? (Multiple alternating points of view)
  7. 7. What genre best describes The Guest List? (Mystery / psychological thriller)
  8. 8. What classic author of country-house mysteries is Foley frequently compared to? (Agatha Christie)

Rate the book

Coziness factor ☆☆☆☆☆
Atmosphere ☆☆☆☆☆
Characters you'd have tea with ☆☆☆☆☆
Page-turn pull ☆☆☆☆☆
Lingered with you ☆☆☆☆☆
One word for how this book made me feel: ______________________
The character I'd invite over for soup: ______________________
A moment I want to reread on a rainy day: ______________________
You're invited
A Cozy Night on the Island

Pull on your softest socks and join us for warm drinks, comfort food, and a gentle gossip about Lucy Foley's The Guest List. No analysis required, just feelings and seconds of dessert.